SynthesisBMC psychology2026
The effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation on psychological factors in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a safe, non-invasive neuromodulation method that delivers a low-intensity, constant direct current through electrodes positioned on the scalp. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to examine the effects of tDCS on psychological factors in athletes.
methodsPrimary sources were sourced from four databases: SCOPUS, PubMed, CENTRAL, and Web of Science. The search period spanned from the inception of these databases up to February 1, 2026. Hedges' g effect size, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed using either random or fixed-effect models for the outcomes.
resultsAfter the screening process, a total of 14 studies comprising 376 participants were included in the systematic review. The results of the meta-analysis showed that tDCS improved attentional performance (1.18 [95% CI: 0.59 to 1.78], p = 0.001), cognitive function (1.12 [95% CI: 0.81 to 1.42], p = 0.001), and reduces mental fatigue (-1.35 [95% CI: -0.84 to -1.85], p = 0.001), reaction time (-1.35 [95% CI: -1.04 to -1.66], p = 0.001).
conclusionThe present meta-analysis demonstrates that the tDCS notably enhances attention, cognitive skills, and reduces mental fatigue, and reaction times among athletes. This research offers a detailed examination of how tDCS influences psychological aspects specifically in athletes, highlighting its potential as a valuable method for enhancing psychological performance in sports.
trial registrationCRD420261304015.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.